


Three Little Birds

by mothmanaintshit



Series: Strange Magic [5]
Category: Strange Magic (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Blood, Death, F/M, Grieving, Hospitals, Minor Character Death, Romance, Sunny/Dawn Minor Pairing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-11
Updated: 2015-10-25
Packaged: 2018-04-25 20:18:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4975093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mothmanaintshit/pseuds/mothmanaintshit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bog is forced awake by an unwanted call from Dawn. Marianne was caught in a car crash, forced into a medically induced coma as she heals.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Denial

Hospitals. Gods. He _hated_ hospitals.

He’d only been in one once, decades ago, when his father was still alive. He had ignored anything involving illness throughout his life, he always got better. Scars healed, issues faded, there was no need to sit around and wait for a doctor to take his money. No need to walk through the threshold of a hospital, sit in a waiting room, pace back and forth until the doctor came out and said the words all family members wanted to hear.

Until the call.

“Dawn?” He shifted in bed, reaching for the lamp on the nightstand and glancing at the digital clock. It was past 2 am. He looked in the empty spot next to him and frowned.

“ _B—Bog…_ ” Her voice wavered, choking back a sob. He furrowed his brows and sat up in bed.

“What happened?”

“ _I—It’s Marianne, Bog… A—And dad… She… Th—They… I—I…_ ”

“What happened?”

Car accident. No, car _**crash**_.

“ _A… A drunk driver… Or rain… Or both… They weren’t… weren’t clear…_ ”

Sunny was with Dawn at the hospital, holding her hand, keeping his own tears in. He needed to be brave for Dawn, she was already on the phone with relatives, losing her mind as she had to tell them all, over and over, what happened. Sunny was holding his love up, knowing he could crash once he knew everything would be okay. His friends, and lover, needed him to be strong. The couple sat on a bench outside of the hospital as they waited for Bog. The bench was covered by trees, blocking them from the rain.

Dawn fell into his arms when he got there. Dagda hadn’t had made it to the hospital. His heart had given out on the ride to the hospital. They understood, he was old. He might not have even survived the surgeries he would have gone through. But Marianne, she could still be saved. By the time they pulled her from her wreck, she had lost a lot of blood. One broken rib and three cracked, a broken wrist, cracked skull, lacerations across her back… Too many things. Bog could do nothing as he listened with Sunny and Dawn about the surgeons plan of action, but even so, every word went one ear and out the other. He just wanted to know if she was _okay_. As much as he hated to think it, he could care less if something was _missing_ or _broken_ or what exactly would they be doing to her, he just wants to know if she’ll live.

_We don’t know. It’s too soon to tell. In a few hours we—_

He walked out of the hospital, unable to listen to that stupid fucking doctor anymore. He watched others around him as he exited the building. Some people were silent as they listened to the doctors or nurses, others fell to the ground as they were notified of their loved ones passing. Everything felt like déjà vu. A woman cradling a sleeping child as a nurse sat with them, holding the woman’s hand and _explaining_. That’s all hospitals ever did… Explain. 

He was numb as he walked out the sliding glass doors, the wet and humid air hitting his face as he walked back to the bench under the trees. The rain had finally subsided, but everything was still wet. Droplets fell on his head as he paced. This could not be happening. Not to Marianne, his Tough Girl… 

_Tough Girl…_

He held her in his arms only hours ago, and now she was getting dissected. It angered him. He couldn’t protect her.

“What time do you think you’ll be home?” He mumbled against her lips, wrapping his arms protectively around the short woman. Marianne smiled against him, tracing his jaw with her index finger and ‘booping’ his nose. She laughed as his nose scrunched up. 

“I dunno.” She finally answered, pecking his lips. “But you’ll be asleep by time you get home.” She smirked up at him. “I can wake you up, if you’d like.”

“And how exactly will you be doing that?” He raised an eyebrow, lifting her up. Marianne laughed, wrapping her arms around Bog’s neck as he swung her around. She wrapped her legs around his waist, kissing at his neck.

“It’s going to rain.” Bog mumbled as she nuzzled her nose against his neck. “Y—You’ll be careful, right?”

She snorted, rolling her eyes. “This is Seattle. When _doesn’t_ it rain?” She felt him stiffen before pulling away. She tilted her head and captured his face in her hands. She forgot what it was like for someone to worry about her, constantly hope she was okay – asking for updates when she would go out on nights like these, it was the last thing she was use to. She loved it, every second of it. She loving feeling loved and wanted by someone who cared.

“I’ll text you when I get to my dads.” She smiled, brushing some hair from Bog’s face. “And when I get to the restaurant, when I’m leaving, when I’m walking up the stairs, when I go take a piss—”

“Love—” He rolled his eyes, grunting. Marianne pursed her lips, tilting her head up and tapping her cheek thoughtfully.

“How about the food? My dad’s taking everyone to this _amazing_ Italian restaurant—”

“Aye! I get it…” He grumbled, dropping Marianne on the couch and crawling on top of her. He brushed some hair from her face, a small blush creeping up from his neck. “Only send me pictures of the deserts.”

Marianne smiled, grabbing his face in her hands and brushing her nose against his. “You are the cutest little dork ever.”

“Watch your tone, Tough Girl.” Bog narrowed his eyes down at Marianne as she nipped at his lips. She hummed, her smirk growing.

“I love you.” She whispered, averting her eyes from Bog’s. Who knew three words could make someone feel so vulnerable? Every time she said that, she felt like a deer caught in the headlights, waiting to be hit. And every single time, her heart swelled when he replied back: I love you too.

“I love you too.” He closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers.

“You be careful.” He said to her after they made love. “I always am.” She replied with that bright smile of hers before leaving the apartment.

He fell against the bench, catching his face in his hands as his mind went over and over about their last moments together. He raked his hands through his hair, biting down on his bottom lip. Marianne would be fine. She was a fighting, she was strong. She would fight and she would _survive_.

“She’s out.” Dawn found him a few hours later, her eyes puffy, nose red. As he finally took in her appearance, he felt like a complete ass. She just lost her father and was now waiting to hear if her sister would even get through the night. He hadn’t even considered what she must be going through. “They said we could see her soon but…”

“But?” His accent was thick, emotions were everywhere and he forced himself to stand.

“But…” She started again, taking a deep breath and reaching for his hand. Oh no. “She’s in a coma… Medically induced. The doctors said she needs to rest; almost like a reboot.” She chewed her lip, forcing herself to look up at Bog.

“They shut her down, for now.” She took a shaky break, gripping his hand tighter. She forced a smile, a smile worse than any of Marianne’s fake ones. “But she’ll be awake again. Soon. She’ll be running up and down the walls, bitching at me and sparring with you again in no time.” She lead him to the ICU where Marianne was being kept. He saw the woman again, holding the child closer as silent tears fell from her eyes. He couldn’t help but think that whoever she was crying for died; the child would be growing up without a parent, or aunt, uncle, someone who would have helped him grow up. 

He _hated_ hospitals.

Sunny was in Marianne’s room, leaning against the wall next to the door, arms crossed, eyes unfocused at the woman who laid, beaten and bloodied, in that damned hospital bed. Sunny mumbled something as Bog passed him, but he couldn’t make it out. Dawn shut the door behind them, her eyes staying on Bog as he slowly took step after step towards Marianne. He fell onto a chair that had been brought up next to the bed, soundless. Gods. His love looked like she’d just been through a hurricane. Her body was covered with a blanket, covering the wounds he knew where there, but her face alone gave him a hint.

Dawn walked forward, placing her hands on his shoulders. She leaned down, pressing her lips on his hair and mumbling, “I have to go… Family members are arriving… Sunny and I will keep them away as long as we can…”

“Go.” He said after a short while, patting one of her hands on his shoulder. “I’ll call if anything changes.”

“Thank you, Bog.” She shut her eyes tight, kissing his head. “I’ll call if any family members demand to see her.” 

“Thank you.” He sighed back, nodding as she stood up and headed towards the door.

“Stay strong.” Sunny came up and patted his shoulder. “Everything’s gonna be alright.”

Bog sat in almost silence, the only sound in the room being Marianne’s heart monitor. He took a deep breath, grasping Marianne’s hand and lightly brushing her bruised and scrapped knuckles. He stared at Marianne, moving to the edge of his seat and pushing some hair behind her ear.

She didn’t deserve this. No one deserved this.

“Wake up, Mari…” Bog shut his eyes tightly, taking a shaky breath. “Please, I beg you…”


	2. Anger

Dagda always warned him:  _Protect my girl at any cost, or I’m coming for your head._

Bog’s reply, every single time:  _The same to you. She’s as important to me as she is to you, Mr. Fairfield._

He was a morbid motherfucker, being angry at not be able to yell at a dead guy because said dead guy  _died_. He knew both Marianne and Dawn would slap him across the face for thinking this; and he wouldn’t blame them. He was calling their father old, incompetent, a fucking asshole for being a hypocrite, and with something that was completely out of the old mans fucking control. But still! He always berated Bog for being ‘the bad boy’ with a motorcycle. For being ‘the bad boy’ that  _stole_  Marianne away from that Roland twerp. For being ‘the bad boy’ who had unknowingly saved Marianne from said twerp but still being called out for being at the ‘wrong’ place at the ‘wrong’ time.

And then the fucker had to die when they were  _just_  starting to get along. Marianne was happy! Happier than either of them could ever remember seeing; all because Dagda finally accepted her, him, them –  _together_. The day Dagda called Bog ‘son’, the day those ‘protect her’ threats stopped, the day Dagda looked at Marianne like an adult and not like the teenager that was stuck in a phase. The day he accepted  _everything_.

It had only been a week before the crash when everything fell into place. When the word ‘son’ slipped from his tongue. Bog couldn’t remember anyone ever saying the word without a condescending tone behind it. Marianne had invited Dagda over for dinner, making his favorite dish, taking out the good plated and silverware just so the two of them could finally talk.

“Your part of the family now, Bog.” Marianne smiled up at him, poking his chest lightly. “You two need to start treating each other like it.”

“You’ve seen the way I treat my family.” Bog smirked, capturing her hand and interlocking their fingers. 

“Okay, well... Treat my dad like how you treat your Mother and Aura.” Marianne kissed his knuckled. “Please, love.”

Marianne went all out for this two-hour dinner, and it ended differently than either of them could have imagined. It ended perfectly. 

Dagda and Marianne did most of the speaking, Bog quietly sat and ate while raking through his creative mind over new character designs for the new developer that hired him. He had one of the six characters finished, thanks to Marianne, but the other five he couldn’t picture. Not yet, at least. During his daydreaming, the conversation switched over to him, Dagda taking interest in his work. How is the new company? Are you enjoying your job? He answered politely, even smiled when Dagda asked about new designs he had in mind. Marianne quickly stood from the table, a smile on her face as she asked Bog if she could show her dad the new character design he finished the night before. Before he could even speak, she was off, a jump in her step as she went to the extra bedroom they turned into his workspace. 

“She’s enthusiastic.” Dagda smiled.

Bog nodded, rubbing his thumb hard against the fork in a nervous manor. “Y—Ye, well, the new character design is based off of Marianne. The developer liked her… look… and, well…” Bog trailed off, forcing himself to stare down at his empty plate as a blush crept up his neck. He cleared his throat, letting go of the fork to rub the back of his neck.

“Back.” Marianne sang, holding the blue sketchbook behind her back as she walked out of the room. She stopped behind Bog and placed a kiss atop his head and reached over the table, handing Dagda the sketchbook. He took it and opened to the first page.

Bog mentally screamed, his eyes widening. He should have realized sooner that Marianne would grab the entire sketchbook instead of the finished character designs that were sitting on top of the sketchbook in its own folder. He gripped the edge of his chair as Marianne made her way around the table and sat back down next to her father, leaning her elbow on the table and looking over the sketches with him. He watched Dagda’s expressions carefully, knowing that some sketching he wouldn’t find appealing in the slightest. There was nothing too graphic in the sketchbook, this specific one she grabbed was thankfully just sketches; a few final pieces were wedged somewhere on those pages but nothing he would be too sensitive about.

He’d have to remind Marianne not to do that anymore. Gods, he loved her to death but showing her his sketchbook ( _willingly_ ) was nerve wrecking enough. He knew it was under good intentions but he was anxious enough trying to play nice with Dagda, now he was holding something dear to him that could easily be ruined. But as he watched Dagda, he realized that the man was in awe, his eyes wide and mouth agape as he flipped the pages of the sketch book. Bog’s own eyes widened as Dagda lingers on certain pages, most likely the pages with small sketches of people, and even a few animals, he found familiar. Bog usually sketched multiple ideas on one page when he was stuck on a new concept. His mind usually lingered to familiar faces and animals. He knew Imp had to be in there at least fifty times, Marianne a close second, Dawn and Sunny third. He drew Roland once, thankfully not in that sketchbook, as a comic book villain. Him swooping in and saving the not-so damsel in distress, who in turned saved his own ass. Lizzy, Dawn and Sunny’s lizard, was sketched in there too, usually on pages with Imp. His family was somewhere in there too, and a sketch he drew of his father as well. He drew Dagda once too, family portrait sort of way, with Dawn and Marianne. He would have added a drawing of their mother too but neither of them had a picture, though Marianne said she looked a lot like Dawn but with her eyes. 

Dagda stopped in the middle of the sketchbook, a smile slowly breaking on his face. “This is… Wow. Truly I… I am at a loss for words, son.”

Marianne and Bog’s eyes widened before looking at each other from across the table. Their eyes screamed ‘did he just say that?’ before they turned to look back at Dagda. If the old man did realize he called Bog ‘son’, he didn’t show it, but the couple did. Marianne’s sparkling eyes shined when Dagda starting asked questions about Bog’s work.

_What ideas came to mind when creating these weapons? What game is this from? When did you create this? Who did you base this character off of?_

He even offered bog a  _job_  at his publishing company as an illustrator if the company he was currently at ever had the audacity to fire him. 

Bog was stunned the rest of the night. As Marianne cleaned, Dagda inquired more into his life. He asked questions a parent should have asked when interrogating their child’s date. Questions Marianne had asked even before their first date together. Before anyone knew it, the two-hour dinner turned into a six-hour visit. They only realized what time it was when Imp started to get impatient and antsy for still being awake at such an hour.

“I should be getting back.” Dagda kissed Marianne on the cheek before ruffling her hair.

“Dad.” She groaned, rolling her eyes; but a smile broke on her face when he pulled her into a hug. She melted into that hug, wrapping her arms around him like it was the first time they had hugged in  _years_. In retrospect, it probably was. Bog had never seen them hug, much less smile this long in each others presence voluntarily. The same could be said for him, he hasn’t smiled this long while being in the company of someone that wasn’t Marianne or his mother and aunt in years.

“Bog.” Dagda turned to him and motioned to the door, “Walk me to the elevator.”

He did as the man asked, kissing the top of Marianne’s head as he passed by her and whispered a small ‘I’ll be right back’ before exiting the apartment with Dagda. The men walked in silence, but for once it was comfortable. Neither of them were hiding their disdain for the other, neither were thinking ill thoughts, for once, they both were alone together. Marianne and Dawn always made sure never to leave the two alone, it never ended well. Bog pressed the button to call the elevator before turning to Dagda.

“It was a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Fairfield. I’m glad you enjoyed dinner.”

“Marianne’s cooking reminds me of her mothers.” He sighed, nodding to himself. “She reminds me a lot of her mother.”

Bug hummed, shifting nervously from foot to foot. He never realized how slow the elevator was until now. It was another minute of silence before the elevator doors opened. Dagda stepped inside, turning back to Bog and placing his hand over the door to keep it from closing.

“Bog, you pro… Hmm…” Dagda stopped himself, eyeing Bog before holding out his hand and offering him a small smile. “You did good, son. I’m proud of you.”

Bog remembered barely being able to shake the man’s hand, still in utter shock from only hours prior; but he still shook Dagda’s hand, firmly.

“Thank you, Mr. Fairfield.”

Dagda snickered and shook his head, patting Bog on the shoulder, “Just… Just call me Dagda.”

The name felt foreign on his tongue. Even when he spoke to Dawn or Marianne about their father, he would say ‘Mr. Fairfield’. 

He could help but smile and reply back, “Thank you, Dagda.” 

He  _was_  a morbid asshole. He was still thinking about not being able to yell at Dagda  _because_  of something neither of them could have control over or knew would happen. If Dagda, or him, had known that night that Marianne and him would have been hit by a drunk driver, Dagda would have called off the meeting and he would have forced Marianne to stay home. He knew Dagda, he knew he wouldn’t have minding losing an investor for the sake of his own daughter’s safety.

Bog shook his head; his thought being plucked away by the annoying ringtone he set for his mother. The song blasted in the small elevator before he declined the call. He loved his mother to death, he truly did, but he was in no mood to deal with her. She called again once he stepped out of the elevator and again when he unlocked his apartment door. He sighed, leaning his forehead against his door, knowing that his mother would not leave him alone. He accepted the call and before he could finish pleasantries, Griselda starting yelling.

“ _I may be old but I **know**  that if you only hear two rings it means the call was declined!_” Bog groaned and pulled his keys out of the door.

“Mum—”

“ _I can’t believe you would decline your own mothers call!_ ”

“Seriously? Ma, I—”

“ _Aura and I are worried, Bog. You haven’t been answering your phone—_ ”

“ _You’ve been declining our calls, nephew!_ ” Aura cut Griselda off. “ _Bad karma!_ ” Bog rolled his eyes as his mother cursed at the woman, taking back the phone.

“ _We’re dropping by—_ ”

“No, ma.” Bog grunted into his phone as he entered the apartment. He had been kicked out of the hospital by Dawn, which he was secretly grateful for. Her relatives were pissing him off, hovering over him and Marianne. Silently gossiping to one another when he would take her hand or brush from hair from her face. He hadn’t left her side for the past week, except when either Dawn, his mother, or both forced him to go home and take a shower and nap. Though the relatives were annoying, he would rather be sitting back in that chair next to her than on the phone with his mother. But, as Dawn bluntly pointed out,  _he hadn’t been home in the past five days_. His mother was worried, his aunt was worried, his family in Scotland was worried, hell, the damn  _landlord_  was even worried. Stupid Imp needed to be fed somehow while he was at the hospital.

Bog groaned, leaning back against the door and sliding down once he was inside the apartment. He threw his keys and wallet over to the couch, frowning when he heard Imp hiss. 

“ _Son, please. We just want to check up on you_.”

“No, ma.” Bog frowned, hitting the back of his head against the door. “I just… I  _need_ to be alone.”

“ _Honey_ ,” Griselda started, sighing. “ _You’ve been alone for the past week—_ ”

“No, I haven’t been alone. I’ve been with Marianne!” He hit the back of his head against the door again, narrowing his eyes at the couch as Imp rested his head on the armrest, his black eyes staring worriedly at Bog. Imp continued to listen to Bog argue with his mother over the phone, he argued with her until she agreed to wait until Monday to come over, with Aunt Aura, and promised to let them come with him to see Marianne later that day. He knew the relatives would be leaving tomorrow night, so it would allow them to be alone without any interruptions. He ended the call, muttering a small ‘love ya too’, and set the phone on the ground. Imp jumped over the armrest, slowly walking with his ears and tail down over to Bog and sitting between his long legs. Bog looked down at Imp, scratching behind the cat’s ear.

“She’ll be home soon, lad.” Imp’s ear twitched, tilting his head up at Bog. “I promise.”


	3. Barganing

Dawn could take care of many things – as has been proven the past month since her father’s untimely death and her sister’s current coma. If something were to ever happen to her father, her sister would take over the publishing company. In the case of Marianne unable, or unwilling, to take control of the publishing company, everything would be handed to Dawn. If Dawn had been unable, or unwilling, some other poor relative would have been handed the company… Dawn wished something had happened to her, instead of Marianne. Marianne knew this stuff! She talked to upcoming authors, met with investors with their father, she was invested in the company! Where as Dawn was anything  _but_. She didn’t go to school for this, she didn’t know the first thing about convincing people to sign with them, she didn’t know how to keep the old, stuffy investors happy without getting hit on. Marianne could handle these men, Dawn… Dawn couldn’t. She hated admitted it, but she couldn’t. She never wanted to do this, never wanted it – ever. This was Marianne’s dream, and that was the only reason why she kept dealing with it. Marianne would wake up soon, and somewhere within the time-span of her waking up and realizing the shit storm Dawn cause, she would take over the company and Dawn could go back to…

Dawn sighed, leaning forward on the large mahogany desk and digging the heels of her palm into her eyes. 

Creators… She really didn’t know what to do. Marianne had always been her go-to when stuck. Marianne always had a plan, always helped her; no matter what it coasted. Dawn couldn’t count the number of times Marianne took the fall for her with dad, or stayed up late helping her study, kept her awake during the night with her famous coffee and pulling her away from life when things became too much to handle…

She was at that point again. Stress. Everything was piling on top of each other…

The relatives, the old, cocky, perverted men at the company, her own work which is on the back burner until Marianne wakes up… It wasn’t like she could disappear, either. Someone had to be at the company right now, a  _Fairfield_  no less – whether or not they wanted to be here, and she didn’t trust her relatives with this, she couldn’t. It was almost midnight, or was it past midnight? Dawn let her arms fall onto the desk, her vision blurry and she looked over to the desktop.

**2:33 AM**

Past midnight… Shit… She shook her head and started gathering her things. Fuck this shit! Her sister was in the damn hospital! Let the investors walk away, she could care less right now! She needed to be with Marianne! She needed to—

There was a knock on the large doors before Holly, her fathers secretary, stuck her head in. “The investors are here, ma’am.”

_Double shit…_

Dawn forced a smile, settling back down on the chair and straightening out her hair. “Yes, yes… let them in.”  _Fucking assholes…_

Holly nodded and opened the door more, stepping to the side to let two older men in. Dawn stood, exchanging pleasantries before settling back down and getting to business. Holly stood at her side, taking notes while the three conversed about looking for a new publisher for the branch across the country in New York. Dawn was happy she didn’t have to speak much, just small nods and grunts. Holly’s notes would suffice for Marianne to make her final decision when she woke up. Dawn’s mind traveled around as she zoned in and out on the one-sided conversations. Wondering if Bog did visit Marianne with Griselda and Aura today, if Sunny went with them, if Sunny would be home when she got there, if there were any changes with Marianne, if it was looking better or worse… 

Dawn couldn’t help but be mad at these men. Here they were, crooning on about a new publisher which they didn’t need, when she could be at the hospital with her sister right now – her sister that would be yelling at these men right now if it was Dawn who she was being kept from because of this. Dawn moved her eyes to the computer screen as the sleep screen popped up.

Dawn’s memory took control of her, bringing her back to a memory she had nearly forgotten of…

"Marianne," Dawn groaned, pinching tube bridge of her nose as her sister drove her off to God knows where, "I have work to do. Just take me home!"

" _No_." Marianne shrugged, turning off the main road and onto a secluded one through the forest. “You’ve been working your ass off at college, Dawn. You need a breather and fuck dad if he thinks having you work at the company while attending college is actually helping you—”

“Marianne—”

“Just shut up—” Marianne smiled and patted Dawn’s thigh. “—and just enjoy the ride, Dawn. We’re almost there anyways.”

“Almost where?” Dawn furrowed her brows, looking through the window out at the darkness of forest. “…You’re going to kill me, aren’t you? Your mind has finally snapped and you’ve kidnapped me, whisking me away to a dark, secluded area with the promise of a break but – surprise, surprise – you’re actually going to kill me.”

“That’s morbid.” Marianne said spoke after a long silence. “Especially from you, Dawn.”

“You were bound to rub off on me sooner or later.” Dawn quipped back, shrugging. The car soon stopped in a large opening in the forest. Lanterns sat on the ground near the center, Sunny and Bog stood next to them, Sunny with an annoyed glare down at whatever he and Bog were fussing over. Marianne snorted next to her, parking the car to where the headlights shined perfectly on their little group and unlocked the door. 

“You may leave now, Ms. Fairfield.” Marianne bowed her head at Dawn, motioning with her hand towards her door. Dawn sent a warning look towards Marianne before stepping out of the car. Marianne got out as well, leaving the car running and her door open.

“Ugh!” Marianne feigned an annoyed snort, walking up to the two men, “You two had  _one_  job.” Marianne looked down sadly at the fireworks she had Bog smuggle in for this, they were still tied tightly together, the switchblade she left the men with hadn’t helped get them apart in the slightly.

“Excuse me for being terrified of knives.” He shuddered, carefully picking the knife off the handing it to her. “I’m a clumsy mess, Mari. Gods know if I had used the thing I would have bleed out by time you arrived back.”

“Aw.” Marianne patted the top of Sunny’s head, smiling at him. “You’re so cute when you’re scared, but that’s why I left Bog with you.”

“Dorn’t look a’me.” Bog held his hands up, shaking his head at Marianne. “One wrong knick and we could’a  _died_.” 

“ _Ya-huh_.” Marianne rolled her eyes, her voice thick with sarcasm. 

Dawn rolled her eyes at the three, wondering how exactly they had come to be close friends, when her eyes fell onto the still going car. She could flee, head back to her dorm and finish up studying for her final, could even finish by four AM, leaving her two hours to sleep before heading to her last day of internship. Before she could even take a step, Marianne was in the car, turning it off and leaving the headlights on. 

She smirked at Dawn through the windshield, her eyes mocking her.  _Oh, no you don’t, sissy._  

“Damnit, Marianne.” Dawn mumbled under her breath, crossing her arms and turning back to the two men. 

“Hey.” Bog finally spoke to her, offering her a cool beer from the cooler that sat between two of the many lanterns. “Thirsty, Princess?”

Dawn looked up at Bog, her lips twitching into a smile before uncrossing her arms and taking the drink. “Just one, then Marianne is taking me back—”

“No, she’s not.” Marianne shut her door and shoved her keys in her pocket, walking over and perching herself under Bog’s arm. She took her lovers beer and took a long gulp. “She is not driving you anywhere for a while. You don’t have class tomorrow, Dawn, I checked. Your next final is Friday – which leaves you three days to relax. Forget about school for tonight, you’ve already graduated—”

“No!” Dawn glared at Marianne. “I still have my last day of internship tomorrow and I haven’t graduated yet! This final will make or break my GPA! I need to—”

“ _Dawn_.” Bog spoke now, looking down at the youngest sibling. Dawn’s mouth quickly closed with a loud ‘click’, looking up at Bog through her lashes. “Drink. Enjoy. Relax.”

Dawn frowned, looking down at the beer before sighing and taking her first sip. “Ugh…  _Gross_.”

Marianne laughed and ducked back under Bog’s arm, going over to Sunny and helping get the fireworks apart. Bog plucked his beer from Marianne’s hands before she ran off, rolling his eyes at the woman. 

“How are you, Boggy?”

“ _Bog_.” He corrected her, his nose crinkling annoyed. “An’ would’av done better if Marianna hadn’t been so adamant on needin’ fireworks tonigh’.”

“ _Yeahhhhhhh_.” Dawn sighed, looking towards the two. “Sorry about that.” 

“I’m guessin’ this  _specific_  thing is something ye two use tah’do?” Bog mumbled grouchily.

Dawn nodded, confirming. “Our mother use to do this with us a lot.”

“Oh…”

“Lighting fireworks with mom was the last… last major thing we did with her.” Dawn mumbled, looking down at her beer.

“Ah… Ah’m so sorry, Dawn. Ah didn’t…”

“It’s fine.” Dawn chirped, quickly putting a smile on and looking back up at Bog. “Now, come on. I don’t think they’ll get those things apart in time before I need to go.”

“Ye do realize Marianne won’t be taken’ ye back… correct?” Bog walked backwards with Dawn, tilting his head to the side to see where he was stepping.

“Yeah.” Dawn sighed but shrugged. “Maybe the fireworks will be a dud and she’ll have no choice?”

Bog snorted and stopped walking once they reached the small circle. “Not likely. Ah got ‘em, stronges’ ones me lad, Brutus, had in tah’ warehouse.”

“Tell Brutus to take them apart for us next time.” Marianne grumbled as she carefully cut, pulled and nipped one firework off. 

“Okay!” Smile proudly held up the one she got off. “One down… forty-something-more to go!”

Marianne got at least twenty off before they started setting off a few. Marianne running back and forth as she lit one up before running back to them and having Bog catch her before she tripped in her haste. Dawn sat in Sunny’s arms, the couple sitting on a blanket Sunny set up for them since Marianne would be setting up the fireworks.

“I can’t believe you guys did this.” Dawn kissed Sunny’s cheek, nuzzling her nose against him.

“It, uh, wasn’t us.” He said, shrugging and motion towards Marianne as she set up another one, pulling out the matches again.

Bog grunted, “Marianne planned  _everything_. We only helped get everything here.” Bog caught Marianne as she ran back, smirking down at his girlfriend before leaning down for a kiss. The fireworks went off in the background and Dawn couldn’t help but ‘awww’ at the romantic scene.

“Quiet, you.” Marianne hissed, turning and resting against Bog’s chest to watch the fireworks. Dawn laughed, pulling Sunny closer and looking up at the fireworks too. Soon they went through the fireworks Marianne had managed to pull apart and huddled against the car together. Drinking, enjoying, relaxing… It was a perfect night so far. Dawn really did need this.

“Start taking apart the next batch, love… Please?” Marianne mumbled against Bog’s neck, reluctantly letting the man go with Sunny after giving her a kiss and a small ‘aye’. Marianne pulled the blanket back over herself, picking up her bottle and took a sip. Dawn scooted closer to Marianne once Sunny followed Bog, leaving the two sisters alone in silence.

“I’m proud of you, Dawn.” Marianne mumbled once the boys were out of earshot, setting up the next round of fireworks. Dawn turned her head to look at her sister, her eye tired and brows raised in shock. 

Marianne scoffed, shaking her head and looking down at her beer. “You don’t even realize how amazing you are, Dawn… It makes me sad. You did—  _are_  doing  _so_  much for yourself, you don’t even see it.” Marianne took a drink from her bottle, leaning her head back against the car and setting the bottle down next to her.

“You… You’re the first Fairfield to complete college.” Marianne mumbled, looking up at the night sky. Dawn frowned, pulling her legs to her chest. “And I am so damn proud of you—”

“You shouldn’t be.” Dawn cut Marianne off, tears in her eyes. “Do you know how many times I almost said ‘fuck it’ and just… just ended it? Ended everything because the stress was—” 

“Yes.” Marianne kept her eyes on the sky. “I do know… I understand,  _perfectly_ , what your thought process has been each and every semester. And  _that_  is why I’m proud.” 

“Mari—”

“I’m here, Dawn.” Marianne let her head fall to the side to look at Dawn, her own tears hidden. “I didn’t have someone to do this for me when I was going through college which is why…” Marianna trailed off, her eyes averted from Dawn in shame. “Which is why I’m here… You can’t go through what I went through, Dawn. As your big sister, I won’t allow it.”

Dawn turned her head from Marianne, whipping her tears on her sleeve. Marianne had been in college, but she didn’t graduate. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to, Marianne put all her time and effort into college, which happened to be her downfall. She hadn’t kept up with her anti-depressants, she took drugs to keep herself awake to study and do reports, she drank, she… she did a lot of things that she wasn’t proud of. College had been her downfall. Her engagement to Roland, then sudden break off of the engagement. Dawn was forced to look at the two men when they started bickering loudly.

“What ‘re ye doin’?” Bog hissed down at Sunny as the shorter man struggled with pulling the next batch of fireworks apart.

“I’m  _trying_  to set them up.” Sunny quipped back. “If you’d just let me  _concentrate_!”

“Yer takin’ too long! Give’t here!”

Dawn smiled at the men before looking back at Marianne. She watched as her sister’s lips twitched into a small smile before looking back up at the sky. As many shit things that happened to Marianne in college, if none of those things happened she wouldn’t have met Bog. It was under horribly circumstances that no one should ever go through, yes, but Bog helped her get her life back on track – really back on track. Not like Roland had tried to play her off as ‘better’. Since being with Bog, her sister was a completely different person.

After four years of being with Bog, she got off her anti-depressants, she got her drinking under control, she got her fathers respect back… Her life turned around. It was now six years and her sister only glowed more every time she saw her. Dawn scooted closer to Marianne, slipping an arm around her waist and resting her head on top of her shoulder.

“I’m proud of you, Marianne.” Dawn mumbled, smiling. “I want to be just like you when I grow up.”

“Pffft.” Marianne snorted, rolling her eyes. “No, you don’t. It isn’t fun being me.” 

“You want to try and be me?” Dawn offered, smirking.

“Hm… Good point.” Dawn laughed, hugging her sister tighter.

“I really am proud of you.” Dawn mumbled into her sister’s shoulder. Marianne was stiff under Dawn’s grasp, her voice caught in her throat as she tried to speak.

“I… I— I don’t… I…”

“Shush…” Dawn picked her head up and looked at Marianne. “I am proud of you, Marianne.”

The rest of the night the couples lit the rest of the fireworks, playing with the sparklers and throwing ‘POPPERS’ at each other. 

“Thank you, Dawn.” Marianne mumbled as the two sisters sat on the hood of the car, the men curled up inside the car. The sky was painted with deep shades of purple, pink, orange and yellow as the sun slowly rose. “I… I need to know that  _someone_  was… was proud of me. Someone who isn’t Bog. I love him to death and I do care about his opinion of me but it’s…”

“It’s different with family.” Dawn finished for her, pushing some sun-kissed hair from her face and smiling at her older sibling. “You don’t even realize how amazing you are, Marianne, and it  _hurts_.” Dawn laughed, using her own sister’s words against her; but she meant it. “You are amazing, Marianne… and I am so proud of you.”

Dawn wouldn’t have traded that night for anything...  _except_  getting her sister back.

She didn’t realize how much she needed Marianne until now. She wished she had said a lot more that night. Told Marianne everything, but she didn’t… She thought she would still have time.

She still did.

“Thank you for your time.” Dawn stood, pulling herself away from the memory as the meeting ended, glancing down at her desktop to see the time.

**3:55 AM**

“I’ll be sure to get back to you once I’ve made my decision.” She shook their hands, ignoring their lingering gazes and protests, and had Holly show them out. Dawn was thankful for Holly; she’s been dealing with men like these for decades. Holly refused to leave the building until she did, like her own little guardian. Dawn couldn’t have been happier. There were many nights she was not sure how to deal with her father’s investors, she’s never been alone with them; now she flat our refused since going through the files of all of them.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Ms. Fairfield.” Holly nodded to Dawn as she exited the elevator.

“W— Wait…” Dawn turned back to the elevator, pressing her hand against the door to keep it open. “Take… Take the day off tomorrow. I won’t be here, at all; I— I need to be with my sister tomorrow… You deserve the day off, Holly.” 

“Are… Are you sure?” Holly bit her lip, fingers gripping onto her bag. “I do not mind—”

“Please.” Dawn smiled. “You’ll still get paid for tomorrow, I swear… But please take the day off, I insist.”

“Oh.” Holly smiled shyly and with a small nod agreed. “Thank you, Mr. Fairfield.”

“And please,” Dawn smiled. “Just call me Dawn.” 


End file.
